Football in France/SpainAthletic Development – Danny Deigan

France National Teams Camp

Clairefontaine based 60 mins from Paris

On site fields, medical department, recovery

Control of meals

Hosts all National Team Programs / Development Workshops

Paris St Germain

Emphasis on running posture and leg ROM with younger age groups

Use of ball in circuits incorporating movement and powerful movements in finishing exercises

Maximise participation in younger ages through big academy scope where anyone can participate (5-a-side centres across the city including underground centres – also embrace corporates)

Paris St Germain

1st team facilities seen as sacred and completely separate from academy facilities (other side of the road)

1st team has a gym that opens onto the training pitch for rehabilitation

Maxime Coulerot is Academy Physical trainer, one of the only Under 19 programs using GPS (GP Sports)

FC Barcelona Enthusiastic body language while coaching – hand

actions, energy, well prepared

Coaching a style of play – a philosophy

Play with Width, Play with Depth, Feel Big! (Depth forward of the ball and depth behind the ball)

Stretching with players around the centre circle looks neat and is well organised at end of each session

FC Barcelona

Barcelona Escola is a football school for 6-12 year olds who train 2 x 1hr a week + internal 7 a side games (learning 3-2-1 and 2-3-1 to promote their philosophy)

S&C starts at the youth academy which is at an off site facility with 1st team training facilities

Big Academy games and 2nd team games are held at the “Little Stadium” (~ 15’000 capacity) next to the big stadium

RCD Espanyol

Coaches gave lots of talk during sessions, however was not “sold” as well to players (too much talk, no body language to support words?)

Different style of play to Barcelona – always look to score

Style based on type of players in their program

RCD Espanyol

1st team train at same complex as the academy teams (back field)

Less separation between 1st team and academy teams

18 minute warm up prior to match (vs Athletic Bilbao) which was mostly a dynamic warm up (in a circle) – Athletic Bilbao only warmed up for 16 mins

Spain National Teams Camp

Based 30 mins from Madrid

On site fields, medical department, recovery

Control of meals

Hosts all National Team Programs / Development Workshops

National Team Museum with Cups / History

Real Madrid

Ex-Champions League winner as U15 academy coach

Skills of coaches to command respect – coaches must remember it is not all about them

Warm up for sessions involved juggling, touch on ball

T-Design building and tiered training fields – 1st

team at the top (1st team kept entirely separate to academy)

Accommodation and residence on-site and close to airport to assist with travelling games (1st Team)

Real Madrid 1st Team –Sport Science / S&C

Jack Naylor – 1st Team Sport Science

3 S&C Coaches with the first team

Run Warm Ups & Prehab

Prehab is every day preseason and sporadic in season – on pitch with mats or indoors (exercises such as bosuvolleys, planks)

Could coaching be better in these activities?

No weights sessions – difference in philosophies amongst staff

Real Madrid 1st Team –Sport Science / S&C

A Weekly Plan

Consideration of tendon load in acceleration / deceleration activities

The need to maintain work at >90% maximal speed

Main measurements in GPS are HR Exertion, high speed distance, sprints, accelerations / decelerations

Where multiple games in one week, try and have 2 main sessions completed within the week

Day Session Type Duration Drills

+ 2 Post Game Light Session 45-60 mins Circle, etc.

+ 3 Post Game Short, Sharp, Hard (Accelerations / Decelerations, Body Contact)

75-90 mins Possession, SSG’s

+4 / -3 Pre Game Longer, Bigger Areas (More Aerobic)

75-90 mins Possession, SSG’s

- 2 Pre Game Speed (Top Speeds, Longer Rests)

60-75 mins Longer Sprints

- 1 Pre Game SAQ <=45 mins Warm Up, SAQ, 15 min Game

Atletico Madrid

Motivational talk from coaches to encourage intensity in drills

Well prepared, good energy, good re-enforcement of basic skills

1st team and Academy teams at same facility

Basic gym and medical room set up

Key Learnings –Athletic Development

Importance in planned sessions coached with enthusiasm and positive body language

Right amount of talk

Use of strong body language – back up words with actions

Sell concept better to players

Benefit of coaching an overall philosophy

Meaning behind all drills

Flow on effect through session / cycle

Understanding of overall development pathway

Key Learnings –Athletic Development

Team Approach

Benefit of working with common goals and understanding

Using information and experience to back up program

Buy in from players of all ages and at all levels

Camp Environment

Control of training facilities, nutrition, recovery

Set up that encompasses program philosophies, aims, goals

Physical Preparation

In Spain, at a development level warm up encompasses lots of touches on the ball with very little dynamic or progressive warm up

Warm Ups prior to matches are a shorter period of time and less intense amongst the lower ranked La Liga teams (Champions League match more representative of best practice)